Protest condemning Vaharai killings held in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 December 2006, 22:56 GMT]Several hundred residents of Kilinochchi held a demonstration Monday condemning the killings of Tamil refugees in Vaharai area by the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) and demanding the opening of the A9 land route, civil sources in Kilinochchi said. The demonstrators gathered in front of the Kilinochchi Kanthasami Kovil around 10:30 a.m. and marched north along A9 to the UNHCR office at Karadippokku Junction.

The President of the Federation of the Kilinochchi district Civil Society Organizations, T. Pirabaharan, addressed the gathering in front of the UNHCR office.

P. Ganeshalingam, I. Ganeshapillai, the President of the Kilinochchi district Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) Consortium, handed over a memorandum to Ms Camilla Kragelund, the Resident Representative of Associate Protection Office in Kilinochchi, to be sent to the representatives of International Community.

The traders closed their shops Monday to show solidarity to the people and took part in the demonstration.

Many employees of NGOs, and representatives of various civil societies also participated in the protest.